tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32528082.post7258507201866164315..comments2023-08-11T04:33:49.146-04:00Comments on Books, beer and barbarians: Why I have stopped online marketingTyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09192814826756623212noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32528082.post-3558890811085344592012-11-20T18:06:09.580-05:002012-11-20T18:06:09.580-05:00I hear ya, I don't think the other venues are ...I hear ya, I don't think the other venues are anything to laugh at.<br /><br />Not overtly trying to plug myself - just keeping on the discussion; but my latest collaborative effort with seven other writers - Space Eldritch, has so far taken in at least a sixth of our sales from Smashwords (enough to actually get a mention on Galleycat about being a bestseller there) and I am not turning my nose up at the distant third of the Nook either. <br /><br />Sales are sales, and I believe in letting people get the format/system they prefer.nephite blood spartan hearthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17092519999184585295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32528082.post-49235536705904284002012-11-20T18:01:13.562-05:002012-11-20T18:01:13.562-05:00I spent a lot of time working on a humorous ad cam...I spent a lot of time working on a humorous ad campaign for november and posted it on facebook and on my blog. Results. I sold one copy of a book that wasn't part of my advertising plan. I'm coming around to your way of thinking. gonna start cutting way back on online presence. Will give me more time to write.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32528082.post-49728402938419046162012-11-20T17:43:56.462-05:002012-11-20T17:43:56.462-05:00I hate to hear your efforts didn't seem to hel...I hate to hear your efforts didn't seem to help. OTOH, I'm glad you're getting more writing done. I think Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch are right: the best marketing is publishing another book. Keep up the good work.Adventuresfantastichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16907562789681407416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32528082.post-52182492506099069602012-11-20T16:43:18.077-05:002012-11-20T16:43:18.077-05:00Ha!
David, I see nothing wrong with writers whini...Ha!<br /><br />David, I see nothing wrong with writers whining about sales, but when they all get together on public forums, it starts to look like panic. For instance, every month, on various boards, there is always a post titled something like "is such-and-such a month the worst sales month ever?" Or, "my sales have dropped this month!" It happens. Writers need to deal with it, at least those with goals.<br /><br />Writers doing a little bitching among themselves, that I think is perfectly reasonable. Complaining among other writers on a small scale on Facebook, for example, I don't find annoying, nor even on blogs (unless maybe it's a blog with a HUGE following, such as Konrath's).<br /><br />I'm not sure yet whether all my marketing efforts actually hurt my sales, but I think it's obvious it didn't help. Marketing did take away from my writing time, though. Personally, I think the e-book market is finally leveling out some but will continue slower growth in years to come. I also think it likely Amazon will re-work its Select program in the near future (maybe after the first of the year?) and we can expect other, similar things to happen with Amazon, Kobo, etc. I truly hope Amazon and others step back from their attempts at exclusivity, because I feel that hampers the sales of the indie writers as well as for the companies themselves; having one's e-books across as many platforms as possible might or might not help sales, but if nothing else it is free advertising.Tyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09192814826756623212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32528082.post-69229396889010637102012-11-20T16:30:45.387-05:002012-11-20T16:30:45.387-05:00Just wanted to add my two bits from observation (n...Just wanted to add my two bits from observation (not experience)<br /><br />I have a very good friend who went indie a couple years ago (I'm only just about to dip my toe in the water, though I've been planning on it for a long time)<br />and she swears all the online marketing, social networking and promotion you can do is virtually worthless, it all comes down to having a back catalog and just doing the work and writing the next book.<br /><br />Granted, she writes YA fantasy, not my (or your) genre at all, but I don't think that is making a difference.<br /><br />I think she is right and it is about writing your stuff and doing your own thing.<br /><br />I'm particularly interested now Ty, in the theory of did your marketing actually hurt sales? by proxy or coincidence? <br /><br />I may very well be bitching about lack of sales myself 6 months from now, but I'm sure going to try not to.nephite blood spartan hearthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17092519999184585295noreply@blogger.com